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Brentwood of Los Angeles wins Cali Live
THE WRAP: Brentwood High shows out at Cali Live 26
ROCKLIN, Calif. — They played nearly flawless basketball for three games, but Brentwood High School out of Los Angeles and their 16-year head coach Ryan Bailey emphatically believe the key to their championship in the top division of Boys Cali Live 26 was due to their clunker to start.
Perhaps due to an 8-hour travel day or even a very tough, well-coached Lincoln-Stockton squad, Brentwood lost its opener to start the massive, prestigious event 62-61 that was followed up with a “nice long film session,” Bailey said. “And film doesn’t lie.”
The truth was these Eagles were far too talented and “connected,” to lose any game in any of the four-team 44 pools that made up the 176 teams which were evaluated by more than 150 college coaches in the three-day scholastic tournament at three different sites.
And behind the rugged, skilled all-around play by Pool 7-8 MVP Ethan Hill, and prolific guard play by Akachi “AJ” Okoh and Robert “RJ” Ball, Brentwood rolled over three other Northern California powers and Pool 9 squads, Oakland Tech (66-40) and Salesian-Richmond (76-67) to reach the Sunday’s pseudo championship game against Pool 10 winner Riordan-San Francisco.
Hill, a skilled 6-foot-7, 265-pound forward/post, had 20 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, leading the Eagles to a wire-to-wire 62-50 victory at Whitney High School.
“We didn’t play connected (Friday),” said Bailey, the former UCLA player and brother of former NBA guard and current agent Toby Bailey. “I think the film session turned us all around. I think the next three games we were much more connected and interested and I am really proud of the guys for bouncing back.”
Said Hill: “We were super frustrated on Friday and had so much energy after that. We just ramped up everything the rest of the way.”
Riordan, the 2025 Northern California Open Division champions and 2026 NorCal Open finalists, were quite familiar with Hill’s game because many of them play with him on the Oakland Soldiers AAU squad.
He is the nephew of Oakland Soldiers 30-year executive director Mark Olivier.
Salesian, which won the pseudo third-place Sunday over Moreau Catholic-Kentfield, had a tough time slowing Hill during Saturday’s semifinal game.
“We just had a hard time guarding him,” Salesian coach Bill Mellis said. “He’s very tough and they’re well coached. It was a close game and down the stretch they hit a few more shots, made a few more plays and made their free throws.”
On Sunday, Riordan, a deep and athletic squad led by highly energetic 6-9 Emmanuel Ahamefule, and guards Cole White and incoming sophomore Judah Van Ewijk, fought back from a double-digit deficit to close to 46-42 on two free throws and a tough interior bucket by White with 5:36 remaining.
But Ball drilled a 3-pointer to start a 9-0 run and this one was essentially over. Max Katz added a three-pointer down the stretch and Hill contributed three free throws and a putback. Riordan, which played without highly-touted transfer Boss Mhoon (broken hand), never got within 11 down the stretch.
“We played really well yesterday to win a couple games, but today against a great team for some reason our energy was a little low,” Ahamefule said.
Which was Brentwood’s problem on Friday. Bailey offered no excuses, especially on the long trip, credited Lincoln with an excellent game plan and win.
But Bailey said when this team plays inside out and connected, it may be one of the best teams he’s coached.
“(Hill) draws so much attention and he’s such a willing passer, he’s going to make the right play,” Bailey said. “With so many good three-point shooters around him it makes it tough. And our guards are really good too. We have a lot of good pieces so you can’t just focus on one player to stop.”
Third-place game
Like Riordan the day before, Salesian got a measure of revenge on Moreau Catholic which beat both teams earlier this month at the St. Mary’s College camp. On Sunday, Salesian, behind the all-around play of NJ Gray, Asante Johnson and Juelz Richo, defeated the Mariners, 61-43.
Salesian, the defending NorCal Open champion which lost to Sierra Canyon in the state finals, lost seven seniors off that 29-4 squad including Stanford-bound Elias Obenyah, but have loads of depth and the winningest active coach in Northern California in Mellis.
Gray, a 6-2 guard who averaged more than 25 points per game at Branson-Ross last year, was terrific throughout the weekend, averaging more than 20 points per game.
“(Gray) has really done a good job fitting in with his new teammates, and they with him,” Mellis said. “On the court, he really took command of the games this weekend and showed good leadership and a desire to get everyone involved.
“Asante has really come into his own as well. He’s playing great defense, playing hard and hitting tough percentage three-pointers. He’s going to have a great year.”
More Red on Green
In the Pool 43-44 title game at the Hardwood Palace, highly-athletic 6-8 incoming senior Tommy Ambidge zigged left, drove right and flew in for a two-handed dunk just before the halftime buzzer giving his San Ramon Valley a 33-28 lead over Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills.
It set the tone for a 20-point, 10-rebound performance en route to Pool MVP honors for the red head as the Wolves won their fourth straight game with a tough 60-57 victory. Point guard Mike Rizkalli and 6-4 off guard Brett Sadur also made big plays for a San Ramon Valley team that took its lumps last year at 10-14 after winning 77 games the previous three seasons.
“I was very pleased with how the boys performed all weekend,” San Ramon Valley coach Brian Botteen said. “We felt Oak Ridge would be a good opponent and they had good offensive sets and a lot of size. Our guys are just scrappy and relentless. They continue to get better with each day and I’m very optimistic about the upcoming year with them.”
Locals make good
Christian Brothers out of Sacramento won the Pool 23-24 title with a 66-52 win over Burlingame, getting big efforts from Pool MVP Najee Banks, a 6-2 senior guard, along with fellow seniors Lewis “Joaquin” Lucero-Mattis and 6-4 wing Braeden Hennelly.
“We really moved the ball,” said Christian Brothers sixth-year coach Jermaine Brown. “Moving the ball has been the point of contention all summer so it’s important we do that and get contributions by committee.”
Having players perform big is vital because the Falcons aren’t very tall, especially after losing 6-8 freshman Jaden DeJesus-Eves, who died unexpectedly in his sleep in February. He was only 15.
His passing came exactly a year to the day after Brown suffered a stroke.
“The boys have been through a lot,” Brown said. “They’ve fought through so much adversity.”
The players and staff are still grieving, but they never hesitate to talk about Jaden, who was the team’s leading rebounder last season and fourth-leading scorer. Brown said his players often call Jaden’s mother and she attends many games and even practices. She attended Sunday’s title game.
“We break every huddle with ‘Brothers on 3 and Jaden on 6,’ “ Brown said. “His name will forever live on and be in our hearts.”
The team is planning a tournament in his honor next season.
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Pool championship game results
Pool 1-2: Southridge 88, St. Ignatius 86
Pool 3-4: Centennial 59, St. Mary’s-Albany 50
Pool 5-6: Santa Barbara 80, San Marcos 76
Pool 7-8: Bakersfield Christian 47, Monte Vista 45
Pool 9-10: Brentwood 62, Riordan 50
Pool 11-12: Liberty-Brentwood 59, Jesuit-Carmichael 41
Pool 13-14: Chaminade 70, Whitney 49
Pool 15-16: Campbell Hall 84, Mira Costa 50
Pool 17-18: Victory Christian 79, Hanford 58
Pool 19-20: Palos Verde 82, Aliso Niguel 71
Pool 21-22: Benicia 61, Edison 44
Pool 23-24: Christian Brothers 66, Burlingame 52
Pool 25-26: Carlmont 56, Casa Roble 45
Pool 27-28: California-San Ramon 70, Damonte Ranch 60
Pool 29-30: Foothill-SS 70, Freedom-Oakley 64
Pool 31-32: Merced 60, Glendor 59
Pool 33-34: Palo Alto 58, Placer 57
Pool 35-36: Murrieta Valley 67, Pleasant Valley 63
Pool 37-38: St. Francis-Mountain View 50, Campolindo 34
Pool 39-40: University Prep 58, Sacred Heart Cathedral 45
Pools 41-42: James Logan 63, Will C. Wood 48
Pool 43-44: San Ramon Valley 60, Oakridge 57
San Clement PG Bryan Blake
Boys Cali Live 26 Roundup: Who Shined in Day 2?
ROCKLIN, Calif. — Court 1 at the Hardwood Palace was jammed, encircled by fans three and four rows deep, hoping to get a glimpse at one of the most ballyhooed 14-year-olds in California, if not the nation.
Clovis West incoming 6-foot-1 freshman Omar Muhammad did not disappoint. He scored early, in the middle and especially late. He even made a spectacular block, spiking the ball off the backboard on a near breakaway, drawing plenty of groans and cheers.
But as good Muhammad was, Granada incoming senior Brandon Hahn drew the biggest rave review Saturday during the second day of the Boys Cali Live 26 showcase.
The 6-foot-7 senior, one of five Bay Area Players of the Year in 2025-26 as selected by the San Francisco Chronicle, was simply spectacular, scoring 44 points in an entertaining 61-59 victory.
Hard to pin down a position and even harder to stop, the chiseled 218-pound Hahn scored in a variety of ways: driving hoops, putbacks, midrange jumpers, a slew of free throws and even a trio of three-pointers, the final one with less than two minutes left gave the Matadors a seven-point lead. It was just enough cushion to come away with a positive vibe after dropping a 62-56 game earlier in the day to undefeated Liberty-Brentwood (3-0).
Three-game play ended in the 44 pools on Saturday, with one-game cross-pool championship games taking place on Sunday.
It’s all part of the 176-team scholastic event that allows college coaches to scout players from many of the top teams in California, and scattered squads from Arizona, Nevada and Oregon.
Hahn, who averaged 24.5 points, 14.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals for the North Coast Section finalists Matadors (21-9) his junior season, said he never scored as much of 44 points in a game before. And definitely never scored 72% of his team’s points.
He did score 36 points and pull down 19 rebounds in the NCS Division 1 championship game to Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland in March.
“I just think I was patient on offense (Saturday),” he said. “I think my team found me. They found me running in transition. I followed up some stuff. I just credit my team most because they’re the ones who found me.”
He’s the son of a coach — Bryan Han was Granada’s head coach in the early 2000s and is an assistant now — and both his parents played college basketball: Bryan (6-foot-8) at Ohlone JC and Westmont and mom, Trisha (5-9) at Moorpark College and Cal State East Bay.
Despite all those genes, all that size, production and game, Hahn has not been bowled over with college offers. Many are talking to him at every level, trying to figure out how he’ll translate at the next level.
Hahn, also an All-League baseball pitcher, isn’t fretting that recruiters aren’t knocking down his door. That, of course, may change after Saturday’s performances. College coaches aren’t allowed to talk to players at any of the three venues, which includes Whitney and Rocklin High Schools.
But they can talk to his head coach Quaran Johnson, and make contact by phone or email. What kind of player and teammate will a college get in Hahn?
“I just think they’re going to get a hard worker,” Hahn said. “I try to outwork every body every day. I’m going to try to be my best teammate possible. I just love competing, so if they want me, then they’re going to get a competitor.”
Part of the Hahn’s development could be attributed to his AAU program Lakeshow that also includes incoming sophomore guard Quaran Johnson, the coach’s son. That is also where Muhammad trains.
“We’ve talked a couple times,” Hahn said. “I’ve seen him at a couple of Lakeshow workouts. He’s very good. I mean, he’s super fast. Our game plan was just to try to stay in front of him at all times. We knew he was going to get downhill.”
Muhammad said he enjoyed the game, but not the final score. Competing and mimicking the most competitive players — noting NBA superstar Anthony Edwards — is his top goal.
“I’ve been playing in front of a lot of people for a while now and it’s what I love most,” he said. “It’s all about playing hard and competing at the highest level. That’s what I want to do.”
Powerful in pink
San Clemente 2027 point guard Bryan Blake has always worn hot pink shoes. “I just like the bold pink color,” said the 6-1 standout. “Because it stands out.”
Just like Blake who has continued to excel even with a largely new lot of players and even after an 8 a.m. Saturday 62-55 loss to Campolindo-Moraga. He had 30 points in that game along with a 61-60 win over Redwood-Larkspur on Friday.
Immediately after the Campolindo defeat, the Tritons had to face host Rocklin and trailed by eight points late before Blake put it into overdrive, finishing with 25 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 70-57 victory.
“We lacked a lot of energy this morning,” Blake said after the victory over Rocklin.. “We started slow in this game too but we played better on defense and that led to some easy offense.”
Assistant coach Nick Pluimer, filling in for his son Landon whose wife is expecting a baby, said the Tritons simply got “ticked” after Rocklin sent down a couple of breakaway dunks leading to the late second-half lead. That chip plus getting 6-5 senior Gavin Pierce healthy after missing all of last season with a knee injury was a big part of San Clemente’s late 20-4 surge to end the game.
Mostly, Pluimer said, it was the leadership of Blake that keyed it all. Blake was the South Coast League MVP in the spring while averaging 18.0 points per game.
“Bryan is a gift,” said Pluimer, who has coached in Orange County for more than 40 years. “He’s a great shooter, a Division 1 (college) shooter. He’s a great leader. The guys all look up to him and he works tremendously hard. So it’s fun to have him on the team because everybody follows his lead.”
Last hurrah?
Livermore 6-6 2028 forward Amare Chandler announced after a landmark 2025-26 season for both him and the Cowboys, he would be leaving to attend Arizona prep school AZ Compass.
Evidently, it’s not quite official, because he’s playing for the Cowboys in Pool 12 play. In fact, he made the game-winning bucket in overtime to beat Jesuit-Carmichael 39-37, setting off a wild celebration.
This was nothing knew for Chandler, an All-Metro first-team performer who led the Cowboys to their first league win in 13 years (121 games) and later on to its first NCS playoff road victory ever. He averaged better than 20 points and eight rebounds per game. The Cowboys lost 11 seniors off an 18-man roster including four starters.
“It’s a great group,” said Livermore coach Mike Tripp after the win over Jesuit. He’ll enter his 41 season in 2026-27. “We’re obviously much better and a much different team with Amare.”
Irish Spring
Northern California power Riordan has had a string of International stars transfer in but 6-11 post Patrick O’Keefe is the first of Irish descendants.
The friendly, wide-eyed, thick-accented Newcastle native has only been playing basketball for four years, but has picked it up quickly. He first heard of Riordan’s program while playing in European leagues against Emmanuel Ahamefule, a native of the UK who joined the Crusaders last season.
Riordan operates an international boarding program that includes nearly 20 countries. Last year’s team that went 28-2 was led by 6-4 point guard Andrew Hilman, a native of Cameroon, and 6-8 post JP Pihtovs, from Latvia.
O’Keefe arrived in the U.S. in early June and plans to move in fully in August. He came off the bench during an opening 59-53 win Friday over San Joaquin Memorial.
Like most European players, O’Keefe appears quite skilled but still somewhat raw considering his only recent love and interest in the game. He’s the youngest of four children — he has a brother who is 6-8 — and none played basketball. His father is 6-6 and mother 5-10.
The biggest adjustment in playing American basketball, O’Keefe said, is the speed and the “physicality of the game. There are a lot more bigger guys and a bigger talent pool to choose from.”
He said the Crusaders have welcomed him “with open arms,” Though he can relate to fellow Irishman Rory McElroy for “coming up from nothing,” but he much more identifies with Minnesota Timberwolves guard C.J. Fulton, one if not the first Irishmen in the NBA in more than two decades.
O’Keefe said practicing with the Crusaders is a major challenge, especially tangling with the highly athletic, long and physical Ahamefule. “The intensity he plays out is amazing,” O’Keefe said. “I’ve only worked out with him a couple of times, but that physicality that he plays with just shows how much work he puts into the game.”
Results and championships
As expected Riordan moved into the Pool 9-10 championship game Saturday with wins over St. Francis-La Canada (67-60) and Moreau Catholic-Hayward (70-56). They’ll play Pool 10 winner Brentwood of the Southern Section 1:50 p.m. at Whitney High School. Brentwood, after a 62-61 defeated against Lincoln-Stockton on Friday, came back to win Pool 10 with wins over Oakland Tech (66-40) and Salesian-Richmond (76-67), spoiling a possible Northern California Open rematch.
More Sunday championship games:
* Pool 37-38: Campolindo vs. St. Francis-Mountain View at Rocklin (Court 1), 8 p.m.
* Pool 35-36: Pleasant Valley vs. Murrieta Valley at Hardwood Palace (Court 3), 9:10 a.m.
* Pool 5-6: San Marcos-San Diego vs. Santa Barbara at HP (Court 5), 9:10 a.m.
* Pool 7-8: Bakersfield Christian vs. Monte Vista at Whitney (Court 9), 9:10 a.m.
* Pool 15-16: Mira Costa vs. Campbell Hall at Rocklin HS (Court 1), 9:10 a.m.
* Pool 11-12: Liberty-Brentwood vs. TBD at HP (Court 1), 10:20 a.m..
* Pool 19-20: Palos Verdes vs. TBD at HP (Court 5), 10:20 a.m.
* Pool 33-34: Palo Alto vs. TBD at HP (Court 7), 10:20 a.m.
* Pool 39-40: University Prep vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral at HP (Court 1), 11:30 a.m.
* Pool 3-4: St. Mary’s-Albany vs. TBD at Whitney (Court 9), 11:30 a.m.
* Pool 23-24: Burlingame vs. TBD at HP (Court 1), 12:40 p.m.
* Pool 31-32: Glendora vs. Merced at HP (Court 5), 12:40 p.m.
* Pool 25-26: Casa Roble vs. Carlmont at HP (Court 1), 1:50 p.m.
* Pool 43-44: Oak Ridge vs. San Ramon Valley at HP (Court 5), 1:50 p.m.
* Pool 9-10: Riordan vs. Brentwood at Whitney (Court 9), 1:50 p.m.
* Pool 1-2: Southridge vs. TBD at Rocklin (Court 11), 1:50 p.m.
* Pool 21-22: Benicia vs. TBD at HP (Court 1), 3 p.m.
* Pool 41-42: Will C. Wood vs. James Logan at HP (Court 5), 3 p.m.
* Pool 27-28: California-San Ramon vs. Damonte Ranch at HP (Court 1), 4:10 p.m.
* Pool 29-30: Freedom-Oakley vs. Foothill-SoCal at HP (Court 5), 4:10 p.m.
* Pool 13-14: Chaminade vs. TBD at Whitney (Court 9), 4:10 p.m.
* Pool 17-18: Victory Christian vs. Hanford at Rocklin (Court 11), 4:10 p.m.